05 Spring, 1916
She was in her room when she heard the door crash in. At first she thought the tower was coming down, that the shelling that had been eating away at the periphery of the city had finally started to rain down on the core district. She flew out of her room where she had been in near isolation since the invasion two weeks before. She could not stand the fighting, the violence and the indignity of it all.
By the time she was nearing the entrance foyer, there were already four of those purple monstrosities in her home. Their cruel eyes took her in immediately while the human CEF officer ignored her. She screamed in horror at the intrusion. A GREL snapped her up with one hand, which easily encircled her whole neck and choked the cry in her throat. She was barely touching the ground when the officer finally took notice. He had a bored expression and until then had been only interested in surveying the premises. “Colonist, this lodging had been appropriated for billeting, you are to vacate immediately,” he said dispassionately. The GREL kept her in his choking grasp, unflinching like a statue. She tried to speak but she could hardly breathe.
The human officer rolled his eyes and nudged the GREL, who released her. She collapsed to the ground gasping for air. Tears blurred her vision but she became aware that the GRELs held someone else. She heard Lukas' voice and realised she was not alone. Donovar and Lyta had gone to the ration queue to get some provisions since their pantry had run empty. Anastasy couldn’t bear the humiliation of begging for food and had retreated, once again, to her bedroom. She hadn’t realised Lukas had stayed, too.
“My home,” she croaked to the CEF officer, who knelt down by her side. He smiled and shook his head. “Not anymore,” he replied coolly.
“Where?” Anastasy managed feebly.
“Like I give a damn, colonist. I’ll be a gentleman and let you have a minute to collect some things,” he said, bored again. Her head reeled, she could not believe this was happening, she didn’t deserve this.
“Gentleman?” she heard Lukas spit out. She had thought it as well; the keffer didn’t know the meaning of the word, but she wished her son had not spoken. She pulled herself to her knees, watching from bellow as the CEF officer turned his gaze to her son. Indifferent eyes met indignant ones and it might not have gone further if she could only speak, or if only Lukas had stayed quiet.
“Is that some sort of earth euphemism, because here we just call your kind fatherless sons of whores.”
The officer drew his pistol. Anastasy found her voice and cried out as he used it to pistol whip Lukas three times in quick succession. It would have been only once if a GREL hadn’t been supporting his limp body. Her son hit the carpeted floor with a sickly wet sound. His face was a bloody mess, jaw dislocated and teeth knocked out. Anastasy was horrified beyond words. She found herself kneeling in front of the Earther and could not bear it. She struggled to her feet, looked him squarely in the eye and spat in his face.
The CEF officer blinked, his disgust apparent as he wiped the saliva from his face. He returned her vengeful and proud stare and drew a calming breath, regaining his composure. Once he had replaced his mask of indifference, he lifted his pistol and shot Anastasy Lyssander squarely in the chest.
“Detachment, let’s move next door. This unit is now too soiled for quarters,” said the CEF officer as he led his troop of GRELs back the way they had come.
Her body fell in a heap by her son’s. She reached out, surprised to find that her arm still worked. She lay her hand on his broken face and felt his strained breath coming through in gasps. She smiled, relieved beyond measure that he was still alive. Her hand was still on his cheek, lovingly reaching out, when she drew her last breath.
Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game
Monday, March 14, 2011
Koreshi Chronicles: Chapter I - Indignity
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